MY SUGAR MUMMY IS A BEAUTIFUL VAMPIRE

Chapter 413: Ritual begins

Reggie's fingers tightened around the crystal as he spoke, his voice urgent but controlled. "Dumphries, we have a dire situation. It's Rose. She's still possessed by that entity calling itself the Nemisis. We need your help, urgently."

There was a moment of tense silence before Dumphries responded, his voice grave. "Are you certain?"

Blake stepped forward, unable to contain himself. "We're sure, Dumphries. It seems to be getting stronger by the day. Rose is fading fast, and we can't risk feeding her. We need to put her in eternal slumber, but none of us have the power or knowledge to perform the ritual safely."

"I see," Dumphries said, his tone thoughtful. "This is indeed a grave matter."

Randal, still by Rose's side, spoke up. "What do we do now?"

"I'll come at once." Dumphries confirmed, his voice heavy with the task at hand.

Relief washed over Blake, but it was quickly tempered by anxiety. "How soon can you get here?"

"Prepare the ritual space," Dumphries instructed, ignoring Blake's question. "I'll bring the necessary artifacts. And whatever you do, do not let Rose feed. The Nemisis grows stronger with each drop of blood she consumes."

Reggie nodded, even though Dumphries couldn't see him. "Understood. We'll be ready."

The crystal's glow faded, leaving the cabin in dim twilight once more. For a moment, no one spoke, each lost in their own thoughts.

Finally, Blake broke the silence. "What do we need to do?"

Reggie pocketed the crystal and moved to get his pack back in the car outside, with Blake and Randal following close behind him. "We need to create a sacred space. The ritual of eternal slumber is complex and dangerous. Everything must be perfect."

As Reggie began pulling out various items – candles, vials of strange liquids – Randal turned to Blake. "We should move Rose. The cabin isn't ideal for the ritual."

Blake nodded, and they rushed back into the cabin. "There's a clearing not far from here. It's on a ley line. Will that work?"

Reggie looked up, surprise evident on his face. "A ley line? That's perfect. How did you know about that?"

A sad smile played across Blake's lips. "Rose showed it to me, about a year ago."

"Great," Reggie said softly. "It will amplify the ritual's effects. Good thinking, Blake."

As they prepared to move Rose, her body suddenly went rigid. Her eyes snapped open, solid black and filled with malice.

"Going somewhere?" the Nemisis sneered, using Rose's voice. "How thoughtful of you to take me to a place of power. It will make consuming her soul so much easier."

Blake's face contorted with rage and grief. "You won't win," he snarled. "We're going to lock you away."

The Nemisis laughed, the sound chilling in its lack of humanity. "Lock me away? Foolish vampire. I am eternal. I am inevitable. You cannot hope to contain me."

Reggie stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "You're not as invincible as you think."

The Nemisis turned Rose's head, fixing Reggie with its black gaze. "Oh, but I am so much more than you can comprehend, little one. I have devoured souls far older and more powerful than any of you."

Before anyone could respond, Rose's body began to convulse violently. Blood trickled from her nose and ears as she thrashed on the bed she was laid on.

"Rose!" Blake cried, moving to restrain her.

"Don't touch her!" Reggie shouted, pulling Blake back. "It's trying to trick you into making contact. If you touch her now, it could jump to you."

Blake stumbled back, his face a mask of anguish. "We can't just stand here and do nothing!"

As if in response to his words, Rose's body suddenly went still. Her eyes, now back to their normal brown, fluttered open.

"Blake?" she whispered, her voice weak and confused. "What's happening?"

Blake's heart clenched. "Rose? Is it really you?"

Rose's eyes filled with tears. "It hurts, Blake. Everything hurts. Please, make it stop."

Blake took a step forward, but Randal's firm grip on his arm held him back. "It could still be a trick," Randal warned.

Rose's gaze shifted to Randal, then to Reggie. "Please," she begged. "I can feel it inside me, trying to take control again. You have to end this. Please, just let me die."

"No!" Blake shouted, struggling against Randal's grip. "We're not giving up on you, Rose. We're going to save you."

A sad smile played across Rose's lips. "My brave Blake," she whispered. "Always trying to save everyone. But sometimes, my love, you have to let go."

Before anyone could respond, Rose's body arched off the bed, a scream of agony tearing from her throat. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she collapsed, unconscious once more.

The cabin fell into stunned silence, broken only by the sound of Blake's ragged breathing.

"We need to move her now," Reggie said, his voice tight with urgency. "The Nemisis is getting stronger. If we wait much longer, we might lose her entirely."

Blake nodded, his face set in grim determination. "Let's go."

As they carefully lifted Rose and made their way out of the cabin, the sky above was turning a deep, bruised purple. Night was falling, and with it came a sense of foreboding.

The clearing Blake had mentioned was about half a mile away. As they walked, each lost in their own thoughts, the forest around them seemed to grow denser, darker. The usual nighttime sounds – crickets chirping, owls hooting – were absent, as if the very wildlife sensed the wrongness in their midst.

When they finally reached the clearing, Blake felt a shiver run down his spine. The air here felt charged, alive with an energy he couldn't quite explain. Reggie nodded in approval as he surveyed the area.

"This is perfect," he said. "You can feel the power of the ley line. It will make the ritual stronger."

They laid Rose gently on the ground in the center of the clearing. Reggie immediately set to work, drawing intricate symbols in the dirt around her with a mixture of powders from his pack.

"Blake, I need you to gather stones," Reggie instructed. "As large as you can carry. We'll need to create a circle around Rose."

As Blake moved to comply, Randal helped Reggie set up candles at specific points around the symbols. The flames flickered to life without being lit, responding to the latent energy in the air.

Just as they finished their preparations, a cold wind swept through the clearing, extinguishing the candles and scattering some of Reggie's carefully drawn symbols.

"No!" Reggie cried, rushing to repair the damage.

But before he could reach the circle, Rose's body levitated off the ground, suspended in midair. Her eyes snapped open, solid black once more.

"Did you really think your pitiful preparations could contain me?" the Nemisis roared, its voice echoing unnaturally in the clearing.

Tendrils of darkness began to emanate from Rose's body, reaching out towards the vampires. Blake dodged one that came too close, feeling the malevolent energy radiating from it.

"Where's Dumphries?" Blake shouted, desperation clear in his voice.

As if in answer to his question, a blinding light suddenly filled the clearing. When it faded, Dumphries stood before them, his ancient face set in lines of determination.

"I'm here," he said, his voice resonating with power. "And not a moment too soon, it seems."

The Nemisis snarled, focusing its attention on the newcomer. "Ah, the elder arrives. Come to fail again, old one?"

Dumphries ignored the taunt, his eyes scanning the disrupted ritual space. "Reform the circle," he commanded. "Quickly now. We don't have much time."